Thermochromic materials change color in response to exposure to temperature or light. Thermochromic inks can be applied to relatively larger areas on a substrate by a number of printing or coating processes such as lithography, flexography, gravure, screen printing, spreading with film applicators such as bird bars. After coating or printing the larger areas, a laser may be precisely controlled to direct radiation toward the deposited thermochromic material to produce a color change in precisely controlled regions.